Safe Teen Driving Blog
Providing a solid BASE for Teen Drivers by improving Behavior, Attitude, Skills, and Experience
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Preventing Teen Vehicular Accidents
Geico, the automobile insurance giant, is not just known for their cute gecko or grunting cavemen commercial shtick. They also produce some great informational tools about your insurance and safe driving tips. There is an informational sheet Geico produced about the Top Ten Tips for preventing teenage accidents.
Really, the information is nothing new to anyone but it pays to be repetitive right? Teens probably only really absorb a quarter of what they hear and read when it is not a subject matter they really want to hear about like cleaning their room or *gasp* how to drive responsibly. Perhaps some parents should use the tip handout and tell their teens there will be a pop quiz on it later! Maybe then they will actually read it.
Anyway... there are some tips on there that are not really emphasized on other responsible teen driving diatribes. For instance, one of the tips is keeping it slow and steady and gradually build up to speedier driving venues. What this means is do not start driving lessons with your teen on the major highways that mimic the infamous Autobahn. Instead ease their way into those roads by practicing on driving within small towns or country roads. Practicing those speedy highways during down times is also beneficial. As the teen (and you as the parent) feel more confident about venturing on the highways in the height of craziness, then you can do so.
Another tip that doesn't get as much play in the teen driving world is training to drive in poor conditions. Many parents are more apt to keep their teens from driving in the rain, snow or other weather conditions. This means, of course, that your teen will have no experience whatsoever in them. The best thing you can do (even though you won’t want to) is to take them out driving, at least in low populated or slow areas, during these conditions. If anything, drive around in the inclement weather in large parking lots, practicing turns and such for the experience. There are less things to hit in an empty parking lot!
Driving a safe vehicle is another safe teen driving tip and one that many people take for granted. Usually, the teen car is either the family car or a hand-me-down. On occasion, a new car or a used model may be purchased. Whatever you choose for your teen to tool around in, you must be sure that it is safe to drive. In this safe teen driving tip, you are the one that holds the ultimate power.
Really, the information is nothing new to anyone but it pays to be repetitive right? Teens probably only really absorb a quarter of what they hear and read when it is not a subject matter they really want to hear about like cleaning their room or *gasp* how to drive responsibly. Perhaps some parents should use the tip handout and tell their teens there will be a pop quiz on it later! Maybe then they will actually read it.
Anyway... there are some tips on there that are not really emphasized on other responsible teen driving diatribes. For instance, one of the tips is keeping it slow and steady and gradually build up to speedier driving venues. What this means is do not start driving lessons with your teen on the major highways that mimic the infamous Autobahn. Instead ease their way into those roads by practicing on driving within small towns or country roads. Practicing those speedy highways during down times is also beneficial. As the teen (and you as the parent) feel more confident about venturing on the highways in the height of craziness, then you can do so.
Another tip that doesn't get as much play in the teen driving world is training to drive in poor conditions. Many parents are more apt to keep their teens from driving in the rain, snow or other weather conditions. This means, of course, that your teen will have no experience whatsoever in them. The best thing you can do (even though you won’t want to) is to take them out driving, at least in low populated or slow areas, during these conditions. If anything, drive around in the inclement weather in large parking lots, practicing turns and such for the experience. There are less things to hit in an empty parking lot!
Driving a safe vehicle is another safe teen driving tip and one that many people take for granted. Usually, the teen car is either the family car or a hand-me-down. On occasion, a new car or a used model may be purchased. Whatever you choose for your teen to tool around in, you must be sure that it is safe to drive. In this safe teen driving tip, you are the one that holds the ultimate power.
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